Best core animal companions?

[H_H_F_F]

I know it's a weird question, but it's relevant for a game my brother is playing. Out of the options given out in the PHB (and the DMG? I don't recall), what are the best animal companions for different purposes? Assume very low OP and minimal cheese.

Thanks!

[MaxiDuRaritry]

What level are you starting at? Because as you level, you'll want stronger (and bigger) animals to ride.

One of the best starting animals in Core is the riding dog. Better stats than a wolf, and they're typically already trained for you.

T-Rexes and the various big cats (for pounce) at higher levels are suggested, as well, especially if you have Natural Bond (C.Adv) to give them better animal companion benefits, and maybe a shrink collar (from the A&EG) to make them Small when they're not rampaging outside of a dungeon, town, or city.

[H_H_F_F]

We're talking ranger I believe, starting out at 6, possibly all the way to 20.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

We're talking ranger I believe, starting out at 6, possibly all the way to 20.You might want to reconsider having an animal companion, as a ranger's companion is much worse and much frailer than a druid's. Maybe go for utility and scouting, instead of a fighting companion? Or trade it for an ACF?

Maybe check Eggynack's druid handbook: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?439991-Being-Everything-Eggynack-s-Comprehensive-Druid-Handbook

Also re-check my earlier post for the edit.

[H_H_F_F]

Thanks for your suggestions!

And yeah, that would be the betterr choice, but this is for a nearly core only game of very inexperienced players my brother is playing in. I think he wants to go ranger, but I'm not a 100% sure.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

See if he wants to maybe play a mounted ranger and have a big cat of some kind, and see if Natural Bond can be made available. Riding a big cat that can climb, jump, and pounce would make most rangers a lot more maneuverable, especially ranged rangers (and ask him to consider using a 2-handed weapon while in melee, instead of going Two-Weapon Fighting, since that's really hard to pull off well with a ranger without multiclassing into mostly rogue). Also consider riding a dire bat or giant eagle for flight.

[Anthrowhale]

If you can squeeze in Wild Cohort (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) (which is online but not core), I expect you'll be much happier.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

If you can squeeze in Wild Cohort (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) (which is online but not core), I expect you'll be much happier.Ah! Good call. Can you believe I'd actually forgotten all about that somehow?

It's a great feat for a ranger, especially if said ranger is using some ACF or another to replace their class-granted animal companion, or is using it for various purposes outside of combat. Because ranger animal companions suck in a fight.

...Why did they decide that giving the pitiful T4 ranger (who is 99% a martial class) an animal companion with the fighting capability of wet tissue paper and the T1 druid (who can wreck entire campaign settings, along with being a MUCH better fighter than the ranger) a walking tank was a good idea, again?

Also: http://www.ruleofcool.com/smf/index.php?topic=716.0

[Elkad]

I've actually houseruled rangers to get full Druid progression on their AC (among a pile of other nice things I've handed to melee types, like combat movement without needing pounce, reducing feat taxes, reducing iterative penalties, etc).

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A war-trained Riding Dog (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dogRiding.htm) with masterwork studded leather barding is probably the best one you'll get until Ranger 8, at which you can trade it for a Dire Bat (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/direBat.htm) which isn't much good for fighting, but it can be used as a flying mount.

As others have said, the Ranger animal companion progression is so slow it quickly becomes worthless as an additional combatant and ends up being more of a liability.

[Darg]

You might want to reconsider having an animal companion, as a ranger's companion is much worse and much frailer than a druid's. Maybe go for utility and scouting, instead of a fighting companion? Or trade it for an ACF?

Maybe check Eggynack's druid handbook: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?439991-Being-Everything-Eggynack-s-Comprehensive-Druid-Handbook

Also re-check my earlier post for the edit.

Personally, I like going ranger 4/druid 1/beastmaster x/druid x for a minimum of 3 companions that are at druid level +3 if you pick up natural bond. If we go further, there are other prestige classes that progress all 3 companions and your druid casting. Either way, a ranger x/beastmaster1 matches the druid up to level 12 with natural bond, and if full BAB were the goal then there are plenty of full BAB prestige classes to choose from that give full companion progression.

[noce]

As a general rule, it could be useful to remember that, while normal animals have low will, dire animals have three good saves.

[Vizzerdrix]

Ranger animal companion is not for fighting. They are just too weak. Get a hawk or a horse and be done with it.